Perley l



(No Model.)

P. L. KIMBALL.

BOX PASTENER.

No. 457,741. Patented Aug. 11, 1891.

UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

' PERLEY L. KIMBALL, OF BELLOYVS FALLS, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VERMONTFARM MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,741, dated August11, 1891. Application filed January 24. 189l- Serial No. 378,896. (Nomodel.)

To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PERLEY L. KIMBALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bellows Falls, in the county of Windham,

State of Vermont, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inFastenings for Boxes, &c., of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infastenings designed for use upon various devices-such as shipping-cases,print-butter carriers, egg-cases, berry and fruit crates, and thelikeand is also applicable for use upon doors, gates, and for otheranalogous uses.

The invention has for its objects, among others, to provide a simple,cheap, and efficient fastening, which may be used either with or withouta padlock, which will not be accidentally unfastened during thetransportation of the crate or other receptacle upon which it is used orby movement of the parts fastened thereby.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing myimproved fastening applied to a box with the lid closed and fastened inposition. Fig. 2 is a face view of one part detached. Fig. 3 is a likeview of the other part of the fastening detached. V

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views wherethey occur.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates aplate which is designed to be attached to one of the parts to be securedby the fastening. In Fig. 1 it is shown as attached to the side of thebody of a box by means of suitable fastenings, as screws a, which passthrough the openings 1), provided therefor, as seen best in Fig. 2. Thisplate is provided with a slot or opening a near one end, and at oppositesides of this slot or opening there are arranged the lugs d, theadjacent faces of which are beveled toward each other, as shown in Fig.1, and their inner or under faces are preferably provided with undercutportions or notches, as shown at e in Fig. 1. This plate is also shownas provided with a loop or hook B, which serves as a guide for thehasp-plate and also permits of the locking of the parts by a padlock,when de-' sired, in addition to the fastening. This loop or staple may,however, be omitted without in the. least affecting the operation of theother parts.

0 is the hasp-plate. In the present instance it is shown as hinged to aplate C, which is attached to the lid of the box and projects slightlybeyond the edge thereof, the projecting end being formed with a socketportion f, which forms a bearing for the pintle of the hinge connectionbetween the said hasp-plate and the plate 0'. Other forms of connectionbetween the lid of the box and the hasp-plate may, however, be provided.That shown is the one which has suggested itself as the most expedient.When so connected, the haspplate is formed with a bar 9 at one end toserve as the pintle of the hinge connection,

and a slot h to allow of free movement of the parts. The hasp-plate isformed with a slot 1', extending lengthwise thereof, to receive thestaple or hook B when one is employed. Near its free end it is providedupon opposite sides with notches 9', designed to allow of its passing bythe lugs .on the plate A when the parts are brought into position tofasten.

To the hasp-plate is afiiixed the catch, which in this instance is shownas formed of a single piece of wire of suitable size, having tion, whentaken in connection with the anfoo the catch is to separate, as they doso they will ride up the inclines of the adjacent faces of the lugs, andthus constitute an automatically unlocking fastening-that is, automaticafter the arms of the catch are removed from their engagement with theunder or inner faces of the lugs-that is, it is not necessary to liftthe arms of the catch out from between the lugs. This is doneautomatically by the natural outward spring of the arms of the catch.Vith the parts unfastened and it being desired to fasten them, all thatit is necessary to do is to force the arms of the catch between thelugs, pressing the free ends of the said arms together, if necessary,and when they have been forced inward to the undercut portions of theunder faces of the lugs the arms spring outward and are engaged by thesaid undercut portions or notches of the lugs and the parts arefastened.

In order to guide the arms of the catch and prevent their undueseparation, I sometimes provide upon the hasp-plate a holder for thesaid arms. Such holder or guide is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It consistsof a raised bar at at the free end of the hasp-plate, and beneath whichthe free ends of the arms of the catch are arranged. The lugs 0, whichconnect this bar with the liasp-plate, serve as stops to prevent theseparation of the said arms, and the cross-bar prevents them from comingoutward.

Various modifications in detail may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

The plate A may be lightened by re moving a portion of the materialthereof, as shown at p; but this, as well as the opening 0, may beabsent.

What I claim as new is l. A fastening consisting of a plate providedwith lugs having inclined adjacent faces and a hasp-plate having sidenotches to receive the lugs, a spring-catch, and a guide for the freeends of the catch, as set forth.

2. A fastening consisting, essentially, of a plate having lugs and ahasp-plate having side notches, a lug or tongue, a spring-wire catchheld in said tongue and provided with springarms, and a cross-barforming a guide and stop for said arms, substantially as specified.

3. Afasteninghavinga hasp-plateprovided with side notches, aslot atright angles thereto, a spring-catch and a guide-bar for the free endsof the said catch, said hasp-plate being combined and adapted forco-operation with a plate having separated lugs, and a loop or stapletoengage the slot in the hasp-plate, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

PERLEY L. KIMBALL.

WVitnesses:

PRESTON H. HADLEY, JOSEPH T. WILLSON.

